Pavelski, 29, has been one of San Jose’s best forwards over the last three seasons. He posted a career-high 66 points in 2010-11, scored a career-high 31 goals in 2011-12 and led the team in playoff scoring this year, with 12 points.

He’s also heading into the final season of a four-year, $16 million deal.

San Jose’s cloudy financial picture could be playing into the delay for Pavelski’s new contract. The club already has $40 million committed to just 13 players for 2014-15, which includes big-ticket guys like Couture ($6 million), Brent Burns ($5.7 million), Martin Havlat ($5 million) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic ($4.25 million).

What it doesn’t include, though, are three of the Sharks’ most veteran players.

Dan Boyle, Patrick Marleau and captain Joe Thornton can all become unrestricted free agents in 2014. Assuming Wilson wants to keep them around, he’ll need to be sharp with the Pavelski extension, as that figure will likely play into what the aforementioned trio can be offered.

All that said, Plante is confident that Pavelski will soon get sorted out.